'Ephesians' Tagged Posts

I have a vested interest in public education. My wife, son, daughter, and son in law are all public school teachers. In recent years, the amount and degree of disrespect and disobedience has increased exponentially. Every day, my wife deals with pre-teen children telling her what she can and cannot do or make them do. Refusing to accept or respect authority is the order of the day every day. Had I done any of the things that I hear of…

After introducing the worthy walk in chapter 4, Paul elaborates on the same in chapter 5. The Worthy Walker Walks in LOVE. The walk of love bears some notable characteristics: The first thing Paul identifies with the walk of love is personal sacrifice: “And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God” (v 2). The walk of love is a walk of purity. It is a walk…

Ephesians 4 is the great unity chapter. This marvelous text opens with what have been called the dispositions of unity:  lowliness, gentleness, longsuffering, forbearance, and love (v 2). In verses 4-6 we find what are sometimes referred to as the positions of unity, that is, the basic doctrines which unify all genuine believers. These are one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one Father. Among our people, there has been considerable interest in the…

Paul first introduces the concept of “the mystery” in Ephesians 1:9. He returns to this imagery three times in chapter 3. However, in each text, Paul clarifies that the mystery of God’s will and the “mystery of Christ” (3:4) has been revealed. Additionally, it has not been made known to a select few, but rather to all men. Consider the following: Ephesians 1:9 – “having made known to us the mystery of His will” Ephesians 3:3-4 – “how that by…

The key to understanding any text, be it the Bible or any other document, is to consider the context. One thing that must be determined is how the original recipients would have understood a particular text. Ephesians 2 represents a perfect case for this method of interpretation, especially verses 8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” Tragically, many…

The phrase “in Christ” is one of the most important, yet most overlooked in all the New Testament. Understanding the meaning of being “in Christ” is paramount to understanding Ephesians 1 and fending off many of the religious errors of the day. Ephesians 1:1-14 contains at least seven references to being in Christ (including related phrases: (“in Him,” in the Beloved”). As one must be “in Christ” to be a new creation, one must also be “in Christ” to be:…